As I mentioned in my review of the chapter sampler, I had only read one other Alexandra Bracken book (The Darkest Minds) and my comment on the improvement of characterization and overall writing still stands.

The seems to be a massive learning curve in the worldbuilding. My statement on the information dump of the first few chapters is also still true, though I understand the need for it if a reader is not already familiar with Greek mythology on an intimate level, and as the story progresses, every bit of information given at the beginning becomes useful and necessary. However, this does make the beginning of the book drag a bit and it took me until 40% of the way through to really start to enjoy the story without getting caught up in family lineages and the names of gods. Sticking with the story past the immediate difficulties was absolutely worth it.

I also saw growth in Bracken's ability to write subtlety and nuance into both the plot and character motivations. I can truly say I did not see most of this story coming, and I had expected to predict the plot fairly well, so I was surprised and delighted to find out that I was wrong, and very pleased with how cleverly it was pulled off. Someday when I re-read this book, I'll enjoy it even more knowing what's coming.

Ancient deities in a modern day setting can be hard to pull off, but using obvious technology (texting and location sharing on smartphones) was really smart. No magical abilities needed, just common sense.

Having the protagonists be adults instead of teenagers was refreshing for a YA novel. The age of our characters and the levels of profanity, violence, and overall stakes were balanced well. And this book is violent - exactly what’s needed for a story centered around a killing competition.

The pairings in this book follow two of my favorite tropes:
* childhood friends to lovers
* reluctant and stoic about their feelings yet fiercely protective of each other

And although our main characters obviously take precedent, the supporting cast and antagonists all got their fair share of time to shine on the page as well.

Overall, an immensely enjoyable standalone that is worth all the excitement and hype surrounding it.

Every seven years nine Greek gods take part in the Agon as punishment for rebelling against their father. Forced to walk the earth as mortals for a time, they are hunted by descendents of their siblings lines. If caught and killed, their executioner takes on the power of the slain god and serves in the Agon until they meet their own end.

The story we follow is Lore's, descendent of Perseus, who having been trained for the hunt as a child walked away from it all after her family was murdered by another line. But getting out isn't quite so easy, and Lore finds herself dragged back to the fight when not one but two gods seek her help to survive the dawn of the new Agon.

This was good. And I think it probably deserves a higher star rating than I'm giving it but my experience was tainted slightly when I first began reading this with a messed up copy of the ebook ARC, which confused the story for me. My second attempt with a clean copy went much better but I couldn't quite fully shake that initial impression. This is new take on Greek mythology, and it reminded me slightly of the Olympus Bound series (which I love). If you or your kids were folks who enjoyed Percy Jackson but are ready to graduate from a MG Greek mythology novel to a full YA one, this should fit the bill. It'll be out in January.

I love love love that this was a contemporary urban fantasy because honestly that is not at all what I was expecting. Bracken knocked this out of the park. I've recently become more interested in mythology and she expertly weaves it into her story without boring you to death with ALL of it.

I loved Lore - she was fierce and strong and I couldn't have asked for a better heroine.

The plot was interesting and captivating and once I hit the midway point in this book, I couldn't put it down!

Thank you so much for an early copy!

Title: Lore
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Pub. Date: January 5, 2021
Rating: 5

This will be a spoiler free review. Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, I did not expect to tear up and cry during this book.

I find that there are very few books that purely resonate with me. I can count on one hand how many books have just truly spoken to me and have made me feel seen – even though I’ve suffered none of the things the characters have.

I honestly can’t explain it, other than the authors magical ability to tell such a moving and engaging book that I’m transported into it wholly.

I knew going into this book that I was bound to really enjoy it. I’ve enjoyed Alex’s books in the past and I’m a sucker for Greek Mythology and fresh takes on Greek Mythology. So, I knew that this book would be a great and fun read regardless. I didn’t expect to have it become an instant favorite. I didn’t expect to fall so in love with the characters that when Cas says Lore’s name and this one line that it would shatter me.
Jfc, if I guy ever said that to me and meant it – I’d marry him on the spot.
Fuck, now I’m thinking about it again and I want to cry, because I want that.

Despite everything – all the horrible, traumatizing, terrible shit both Lore and Castor go through – I fucking want their relationship. Well, my own version, but I want that friendship, the trust, the love and the absolute completion knowing that someone loves you for who you are wholly.

Alex knocked it out of the park with this book. While it’s action packed and the plot races forward and it never stops, it’s very much a character driven book. It’s about figuring out who you are, who you want to be, do you let the past define you, or do you strive to live every moment to the fullest? Do you let fear cloud your emotions, or do you face it head on and let yourself be loved? Do you create your own purgatory, or do you seek redemption and come out the other side a better person?

Lore goes through some shit. That’s putting it lightly. Her life hasn’t been easy and it hasn’t exactly been truthful, but she’s carved out a home and a life for herself. She doesn’t readily acknowledge her past, she’s out, but it only takes one visit from a long thought dead friend to turn her life upside down. Suddenly back in the middle of a war she wants no part in, she’s faced with moments of her past that she’d buried.

Lore is a badass, but she’s not without her scars – physical and mental. Her journey in this book is heartwarming but also heartbreaking. Having to come to terms with the actions of a child, to release the guilt that had been weighing her down so long and to come out the other side much stronger – it’s inspiring. It’s not an easy journey by any stretch and Alex definitely puts her characters through the wringer. Their journeys are long and tough and not without pain – but necessary. And the way she writes the journeys, portrays them – it puts you right there with the characters. You end up feeling what they feel, you get caught up in the emotions (hence my crying at one line). She wraps you up in their lives until you forget your own, and then you finish the book and “now what?”
I actually kind of feel like I’m missing a part of myself right now.

Then there’s Castor…and like, (I don’t really want to draw this comparison, but it so works) if you’re a lover of Percy Jackson, you’re going to love Castor. They’re not really the same characters, but that near fatalistic urge to protect the ones they love…yeah, Castor has that. Plus, the whole, “we were kind of shoved together as children, faced some shit, our feelings grew and changed until we were adults and some more shit happened, so we got together” thing. But Castor – like Lore – has been through shit. He’s got his own hardships that ostracized him from his people. He wasn’t like everyone else and therefore was picked on. Then later he’s dealing with a bout of amnesia and some power issues all while trying to figure out who he is, his feelings, what he’s willing to do or not do. He’s just wonderful and I’d kill to have a guy like that in my life.

Together Lore and Cas are just perfect. They have their flaws, but they complete each other wonderfully. And the ending of the book – I loved it. I love them.
As for the rest of the group – I love Miles and how almost chill he was with everything. I kind of wish he was in the book a little bit more, but that’s okay. I’d gladly read a whole book featuring him. Give me his day to day life. I love his relationship with Lore and how they both kind of mother each other, but in different ways. Though, he’s arguably the more responsible one. I enjoyed Evander “Van” and would also gladly read more about him. I feel his role – while important – was kind of small, and after that one scene before final battle shit goes down…I just want to see him happy.

I think I mentioned it somewhere at the beginning of this review – but I loved the world. I loved the fresh take on the Greek Gods and the whole concept of the Families and the Agon. The passing of power, the potential for God’s deaths and reincarnation of power – the whole idea that it’s a form of punishment. I really liked how the lore was used and how the Families weren’t just derived from the Greek Gods, but also legendary heroes. The way Alex wove it all together to create this action packed, character driven story is just incredible. It feels like the lore you know, it feels familiar, but it’s in a whole new light.

I will say that I’m a little tired of NYC always sort of being the de facto Olympus of the Modern World – which okay, the Agon does travel from city to city across the planet – but, like, other cities exist. It’s a relatively small complaint that mainly stem from my lack of interest in NYC and how everything is set there, but it would be interesting to see Greek Mythology set in like, DC or something. But I will say that I love how the city was utilized and Alex transports you right into it. I’ve only been to NYC twice, so apart from what I’ve seen in pictures, TV or Movies, I barely know what stuff looks like. That being said, I felt like I was there, running through the streets. It was easy to imagine everything – it all came to life in my mind.

I think Alex outdid herself with this book. I knew I wanted to read it the moment she announced that she was working on a secret Greek Mythology project. Then watching her Instagram Stories as she progressively wrote it, revised it, wrote it again and now to have read a finished result. I know this is a book that I can and will reread over and over. I loved it so much, I loved the characters and the world, and then how it ended.

Overall, this is immediately a new favorite. It resonated with me and I just loved it. I would get sucked in, and when I had to put it down for whatever reason, it wasn’t far from my thoughts. Even if I had to sit it down for a day or two, it was so easy to come back to it, to get lost in it again. I cannot recommend this book enough, so when it comes out January 5, 2021 – make sure you pick up your copy.
There’s also a pre-order incentive as well as some exclusive editions and ways to get signed copies – so make sure you check that out! I know I’ll be ordering a copy!

Alexandra Bracken's LORE is being pitched as an upper YA Percy Jackson meets The Hunger Games, and it's clear why. Every seven years, the descendants of Greek heroes have the opportunity to claim a god's power for their own during the Agon, a week-long hunt. If a hunter kills a god (the original god or the "new" god, a hunter who previously killed a god and claimed their power), they take their power and use it to their advantage in the mortal world.

Lore is the last remaining member of one of these bloodlines, but she wants nothing to do with the Agon or the gods' powers. So when the goddess Athena shows up on her doorstep, wounded and with a proposition for Lore, Lore is more than a little wary. But Athena offers something Lore has secretly craved for years: vengeance against the hunter who murdered Lore's entire family. And Lore can't say no.

Alexandra Bracken throws readers right into the middle of the action with a fast-moving, well-plotted story. There are a lot of details, from the rules of the Agon to names of gods and their houses, but everything is explained without feeling like an info dump. Lore herself is one of my favorite kinds of protagonists: one with unresolved issues and a take-no-prisoners attitude. She is a skilled fighter, a talent honed in underground fighting rings to escape her grief.

Feminism and gender roles in Greek mythology are also examined in this story. Lore points out during a memorable conversation with Athena (I loved this entire scene) that even Athena herself never guided or mentored female heroes in any of the myths we know. Greek mythology is pretty unkind to women, and LORE confronts (and pushes back against) that. Even in the Agon, female hunters aren't supposed to make the kill to claim a god's power. As a character, Lore is an excellent hunter, fighter, and is often driven by anger...all things society usually attributes to men. On the reverse side, many of our male characters are less competent fighters (or simply don't want to fight) and healers. I love how stereotypical gender roles are flipped on their head here.

This is my favorite Alexandra Bracken book to date. I also love that it's a standalone. It's well-paced (never a dull moment!) and I love so many of the characters, especially Lore and her friend Miles. I've had trouble focusing on books this year, but I was itching to come back to LORE every time I had to put it down!

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the e-ARC.

Alexandra Bracken is the only author that can get me to read books in the fantasy genre. This one wasn’t even dystopian, which is saying something. I got the opportunity from NetGalley to read an ARC of Lore, and was not disappointed! I rate this book a 5/5!

This book is everything I could have imagined and more! Bracken has a way with words and storytelling that make her books never disappoint. As mentioned above fantasy is not my go-to genre but I didn’t care while reading this book. I devoured it and could not be away from it for long without my mind wandering back to it. Lore is a perfect book that takes Greek mythology and puts it into modern times without being tacky. There is fighting, murder, gods, and ancient traditions. However, there is also New York City, phones, dinners, and so much more. It may take a few minutes to understand the Greek history and new lingo, but I was able to pick it up quickly and wasn’t confused. I actually learned quite a bit about Greek mythology, in a fun and interesting way.

As usual, Bracken had me in love with the characters right away! They were so well developed, had their own emotions, and made the book so much more interesting to read. There are new and old characters, Gods, and 21st-century teenagers. I loved it so much. I definitely had a book hangover finishing this book and saying goodbye to these characters.

I definitely recommend picking up this book and reading it for yourself. A warning though, you may need to carve out a whole day so you can read it all at once it’s that good.

Fierce and frightening. Lore is like The Purge meets Greek mythology meets Divergent meets oh heck… just meets all the good stuff you want wrapped up into a book and more. You're supposed to worship and envy the Gods, but in this book I do not. I would not want their fate nor be apart of the chase.

Lore is badass in every sense of the word. Yes, the book is badass but more so our protagonist Lore is. She loses so much and yet continues through with such strength. She is the hero and the villain, and refuses for anything less than victory.

The romance part of this book (and there’s more than one) just gives you all the sweet feels with a cherry on top. It is not a big part of the book at all which I was okay with. I honestly adored the friends-to-lovers story we got. The fact that it wasn’t some toxic, snarky relationship but one that was strengthened through trust and caring. Heart 100% full.

Our side characters were the absolute best too. Everyone needs a Miles in their life, just saying. Overall this book is an absolutely perfect way to start off 2021 and you absolutely need to get your hands all over it.

Set in a dark and secret world where the descendants of famous Greek heroes hunt the Greek gods in hopes of stealing their immortality, Lore by Alexandra Bracken tells the story of power, and how far many are willing to go to obtain it. Lore, the titular character, is a descendant of Perseus and the last one living in her blood line, a hard fate for a teenage girl to live with. After spending several years on the run, Lore finds herself back in her hometown of New York City, where another Agon is about to begin.

The Agon began thousands of years ago, when 9 gods enraged Zeus, and he decided to punish them by creating a hunt. Every seven years these gods would be sent to Earth as mortals, for one week, where the descendants of 9 heroes would have the opportunity to find and kill them to claim their power and immortality. Currently only 5 bloodlines remain living, and one of those is the House of Perseus, which consists only of Lore, after her family was brutally murdered at the end of the last Agon. Once the favored house of the hunt, the House of Perseus was almost wiped out completely after a woman ascended and took the power of Posiedon, a big no-no in the Agon’s society. Lore has no interest in participating in this Agon, but for some reason she didn’t leave the city, so she quickly finds herself drawn back into the brutal world that she thought she had escaped. First her childhood best friend, who she thought was dead, shows up, then she arrives home to find the goddess Athena bleeding out on her front step. Lore will need to figure out who she can trust, and try to manage her rage, if she wants to save the city and herself from the Agon’s destruction.

This book was extremely enjoyable! What fun to get to experience the Greek gods in our contemporary world. It’s fantasy, but only in the sense that the gods live and have powers beyond a human’s, there is really no magic or new worlds in the novel. I loved that the world Bracken created could truly exist, just under our noses, disguised by the deep pockets of the bloodlines. And what an interesting world to explore, where kids are raised from the age of seven to be killers, and fight for the head of their bloodlines under any cost. A world where anyone has the chance to become a god, but taking that path leads you to be hunted just as the original gods are. I also loved Lore, and the inner struggles we get to experience with her. She is a very angry young woman (rightly so), and this flaw haunts her throughout the course of the novel, leading to mistakes that leave her feeling even more guilt. The best part is watching Lore fight against her nature, letting those who wronged her live, rather than becoming the killer she was trained to be, and slowly working to make amends for all of her past wrongs, and learn to let go of her guilt.

The one thing I struggled with in the book was the character of Zeus, though he is never actually a part of this story, he is important as the creator of the Agon. We are meant to believe that Zeus created the Agon to punish his children when they attempt to retaliate against the humans who have turned to new gods (it seems these are the religious gods typically worshipped today). While this is obviously necessary to create the world the book is set in, I find it extremely hard to believe that Zeus would be punishing the gods for this, rather than leading the charge. He is arguably the most selfish and egotistical of all the Greek gods, and we are supposed to believe that he is perfectly fine that all of the humans have turned against him and are worshipping different gods. I am not buying it.

It’s long, but Lore by Alexandra Bracken is worth every word. Both teens and adults alike will get sucked into this world and love experiencing the brutal world of the Agon along with Lore and her friends. This will be especially popular with fans of mythology!

Thank you Net Galley for the free ARC. Bringing Greek mythology to modern life, Lore is the story of the return of the Agon every seven years to settle scores between the powerful families and descendants of the Gods. I am sure teenagers will love this, as for me too much violence and too many characters to remember.

Y'all! A solid 4 to 4.5 star read for me. Another reviewer calls this the urban Hunger Games with Greek Gods as tributes and that's spot on. The premise is really interesting, and the pacing sets it up in a way that allows you to learn what's going on without feeling like it's going too slow. Characters are all dimensional and there are a couple hints and red herrings throughout to keep you from getting too comfortable with thinking you've got it all figured out.

I loved all of the mythology woven through the story, it added something to the story without overshadowing the character's and their story.

Lore was a badass, to survive everything she'd gone through, and I was shocked at her ending. Hiding behind spoilers now! I genuinely felt - even up to the ending of the story when she was cleaving the planet in halve to let the sea fire go there rather than kill more people - that she was going to turn and lose her fucking mind with the newly gained power. There were so many times throughout where, even as she was growing, it was clear she could snap. And then... she just didn't. She made the choice to do otherwise, and it was a really nice moment and ending for them.

I hope that the ending we saw *was* the total and final resolution for this story - even if the agon continues, I don't think it's a world we ever need to revisit. Our characters got what they wanted - freedom, each other - and while I've seen others call for another book, I say let them have their happy ending!!!

This is one of the rare books that I wish was longer and had multiple forthcoming sequels. Lore is an intensely relatable character, and one that is much more nuanced and complex than most female characters. I love a good Greek mythology reimagining, and this book does not disappoint! The author seamlessly weaves mythology, present-day culture, feminism, and an action-packed plot into one coherent narrative. I've already asked the school librarian to order this book for our students to read.

I received this complimentary ARC from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

"A feather fallen from a wing is not lost... but free"

Someone mentioned that this book was Hunger Games mixed with Percy Jackson… and while I agree, the book has elements of both, it’s so so so much more than that. It has the life and death elements that were in the Hunger Games, and it has the Greek Mythology elements of Percy Jackson, but this story is so unique and beautifully written, it frankly, puts those books to shame.

Opening Lore is like stepping into a world that has been around for aeons, but instead of feeling overwhelmed with history, you feel comfortable, because all the elements are familiar to you. Those old mythology classes, and even reading Percy Jackson, prepare you to understand this world.

"Sometimes the braver thing is to accept help when you've been made to believe you shouldn't need it."

The characters are real, with real problems and shortcomings. The heroine, Melora, deals with serious issues, on top of her own feelings of guilt, insecurity and fear. She is an incredibly written character that you immediately feel as if you’ve known forever. Something I love about the women in this book is how natural they are, yes they are tough and they fight and scream, but they also regret and love and cry.

There is also an amazing amount of diversity in this book, that didn’t feel forced at all.

Overall, this novel is one that I will definitely be re-reading. The story is incredible, the twists are clever and interesting and the ending, superb. It was moving and memorable and now, very dear to my heart.

I initially had the opportunity to read a 6 chapter excerpt of Lore (coming 01/25/2021) and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the full book! Thankfully, the wonderful folks at Hyperion Publishing gave me a full copy to review, so I’m amending my initial review (which can be found here) and updating it to include my feedback on the full novel.


Admittedly, I’m a Greek mythology fanatic, and I love story lines that incorporate those ancient mythologies. Lore is a modern fantasy with a twist that brings those ancient deities into the modern world. Here’s the blurb:
Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.
Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family’s sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt’s promises of eternal glory. For years she’s pushed away any thought of revenge against the man–now a god–responsible for their deaths.

Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.

The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore’s decision to bind her fate to Athena’s and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost–and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.

The first six chapters did not disappoint. It has an excellent pace, hints at mystery, adds some humor, and got right to the tension. It’s a fresh, unique take on Greek mythology and I’m excited to read more.

12/27/2020 update:

I did receive a full copy of Lore for review. And the rest of the book holds out just as well as the preview. It’s a complex and exciting tale about the Greek gods and how their meddling with and amongst mortals leads to endless treachery and power shifts. This Agon is an intense battle between gods who’ve been maneuvering behind the scenes, and outside of the Agon for a long time and everything they’ve aspired to is finally within their reach. The battleground for this year is New York City, which lends a perfect backdrop to the battles among ancient deities (and their more modern counterparts). I can’t imagine a better setting for the epic final battle.
Lore is a strong, fearless character who struggles with self-awareness at first, but becomes more in tune to her own past and possibilities as the Agon progresses. As a character, she stays consistent throughout. She’s tough, but the loss of her her family at the hands of these warring immortals, is something that haunts her. It gives her equal parts anger and fear, both of which are nicely balanced and help make her a well-rounded character.

The cast of supporting characters includes gods and mortals alike, and they provide a nice balance in this storyline. The lies and motivations of some of them are complicated and sometimes not clear, but it all becomes apparent in the end and the ending is a satisfying one.


If you’ve ever struggled with remembering all the gods and how they interacted with or influenced mortals, this won’t be an easy storyline to keep track of. In addition to the original gods and heroes of Greek mythology, there are new gods who’ve replaced those in the ancient bloodlines to keep track of. But Lore remains a great, energetic, and adventure-laden escape.

"An oath was, after all, a curse you placed on yourself..."

In this modern Greek myth, Zeus cast nine gods out of Olympus for overreaching their power after the fall of Rome. Every seven years, there is a competition among the bloodlines of ancient Greek heroes to kill and steal the powers of these gods-made-mortal in a seven day hunt. Lore is the last of her bloodline, trying to carve out a normal life away from the lure of the hunt. However, when the next cycle comes to her home city of New York, she won't be able to stay away. A wounded Athena appears on her doorstep, seeking a bargain that will drag her back into the thrill and the horror of the world she tried to leave behind.

This story keeps up its supersonic pace for all near-500 pages. There are fights, surprises, pivots, and power plays always in motion. Lore is a complex and fierce heroine, twisted up in the conflict between how she was raised and who she wants to be. It's a classic argument about fate and free will. She must struggle with the power of her own choices for better or worse. The story is brutal and sweet in different moments, with both aggressive encounters and fond memories charged with emotion.

I appreciated this new take on Greek myth. The world-building is engrossing while serving as a backdrop for the action and personal journeys rather than as the focus itself. I highly recommend it to readers looking for a unique, high octane fantasy standalone.

This book was absolutely incredible! I was hooked from page one and inhaled this book within just a couple of days. If you're wondering if you should read this book, the answer is YES. This book is a mixture of Percy Jackson and the Hunger Games, filled with the romance and the soft male characters Alexandra writes so beautifully. Lore also features one incredibly powerful and bad-ass female protagonist whose growth throughout the books is beautiful, and a charming male protagonist who you can't help but love. You wouldn't think a goddess would have character growth, but I loved seeing Athena's journey through the book. Even the supporting cast of Van, Miles, and Iro add to the story and you root for each of them. The plot is fast-paced and full of twists that'll have you hooked from page one until the very end.
The only reason I did not give this book 5 stars was the ending of the story. The way the last chapter wrapped up was a bit confusing and too quick. While I understand that this is a stand-alone, I still believe the ending could've been further explored and drawn-out.
Still, I've already ordered a physical copy of this book and will not hesitate to recommend it to everyone. If you love Greek mythology, a fast-paced plot, and complex characters this book is certainly for you!

Anything involving Greek mythology I will gobble up and Lore definitely had me coming back and wanting more! The plot and details were next level. I could fully see the entire world Bracken had created clear as day. The Hunger Games meets Greek for a wild adventure!

I received this e-ARC from NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Long ago, nine Greek gods rebelled against Zeus and lost. The punishment was the Agon, where every 7 years, those gods become mortals for 7 days and are hunted by ancient bloodlines eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and become gods themselves. 17-year-old Lore has left this brutal world after the massacre of her family. Then two visitors, childhood friend Castor and the goddess Athena, find Lore, separately, needing her help. Lore finds herself reluctantly pulled back into the fight she had abandoned. As the deadly week progresses, Lore learns that not everything is as it appears to be.
I can best describe this YA novel as Percy Jackson meets The Hunger Games. It is on the longer side (over 500 pages – hard to tell on Kindle) but it is a fast read. It is a different take on Greek mythology but one I quite enjoyed. I would definitely recommend this for grades 7 and up.
#Lore #NetGalley #DisneyHyperion

Lore by Alexandra Bracken is a well thought out story dripping in Greek mythology history, infused with present-day America. It reminds me of a well-blended mixture of American Gods and Hunger Games. If you do not know Greek folklore's classic stories, I recommend watching the docuseries, Great Greek Myths on Amazon Prime. It highlights and breaks down in detail every anecdote the Gods have ever encountered. With that being said, OHHHHMIGODDD! This book is amazing! I've been looking for a good Greek Myth book for a while, and this one hit all expectations.

Bracken has done a fantastic job with this story. She did her research and has a deep love for Greek Mythology. Whether it was drawing out the story plot, entering a bombshell of a plot twist, painting the modern world with a thriving hidden culture of Greek mythology, etc., I couldn't ask for a more perfect book.

This book is so hard to rate and review. If you like Greek mythology (but not enough to be annoyed by inaccuracies), love a friends to lovers trope, and like YA with a side of misogyny and lots of violence then Lore is for you!

Melora Perseous is trying to be a normal 17 year old girl until she walks home and sees Athena, goddess of wisdom and strategy, injured and bleeding out on her stoop. Lore is a descendent of Perseus, the mythological hero who killed Medusa, and the last surviving member of the Persides family - the Persides being one of 9 Greek mythological families that participate in the Agon. Every 7 years, the main Greek gods (i.e. Athena, Artemis, Poseiden, Area, etc.) are forced to walk the world as mortals where the decedents of ancient bloodlines hunt and kill them to steal their powers. Lore is the survivor of a horrific experience, hoping to stay out of the Agon but is drawn back in by Athena and an old friend.

WHEW, it was extremely difficult to write even that summary of the plot. Because this book is CONFUSING y'all. Like 20% in I was like, what is happening?! and that wasn't a good thing. But, I kept going because I was intrigued and ultimately I really liked Lore (for the most part).

Pros
- Lore - a badass, vulnerable, sensitive but hides it behind pure aggression. Really interesting.
- The Greek mythology
- some of the twists and turns
- the ending was super interesting and I liked I easy wrap up that didn't leave a wide open door for future books.
- the little bit where the characters spoke about the erasure of women in Greek myths. I wanted so much more but liked what I got!

Cons
- diversity felt like an unthought out check box. There are a few BIPOC characters and they were either evil, had very few lines, or were extremely one-dimensional and there just for a check mark. It was frustrating because I wanted more from the characters of color and I think that Bracken will be applauded for her diversity when really it seemed lazy.
- the length - this did not have to be over 400 pages. Some of it DRAGGED and I started skimming.
- the absolute misogyny. I understand why, but it was still extremely hard to read about the careless sexual assault and murder of children, the grooming of young girls. There should be a CW for sure.
- some of the relationships were flat (Lore and Castor, looking at you!). I wanted more from L&C - yes they were friends as children but love at 10 and love at 17 is way different - they are different people and that wasn't explored.
- some of the twists were CONFUSING and not needed.

I don't love a book where I have to keep going back to check out earlier parts because I am confused, and that happened a lot here (which is so hard in an ebook!). But, I did enjoy a lot of it. So I'd recommend, but read some of the CW that should be in this book and know that it might take you a bit to get into it.

Huge thank you to Disney Publishing, Hyperion, and Netgalley for providing this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of Lore by Alexandra Bracken. I was so excited to receive this arc because I am a big fan of Bracken’s The Darkest Minds series. I also am fascinated by Greek Mythology so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book.

I don’t really know how to review this book because it’s super complex plus half of it was brutally slow and hard to get into, but the other half was fast paced and totally awesome! It took me a couple weeks to read the first 50-60% of the book, but then I literally read the last 40-50% in one afternoon. I’ve been going back and forth between 3-3.5 stars.

Lore is basically the Greek Mythology Hunger Games! The synopsis summarizes the basic concept so well . . . “Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.” There is so much more to it, but our story centers around Lore, who is from the line of Perseides. We follow Lore as she is thrust back into this violent world with her heart set on revenge. There are fantastic messages of feminism, deciding your own fate, and the importance of being surrounded by loved ones.

This world is incredibly complex. The first half of the book is basically a massive information dump. There is just so much to remember . . . the original mythology, the new gods (plus the new names they have taken), the families, the powers, etc. etc. etc. It was honestly a lot to keep straight while reading. This is part of the reason why the first half of the book was so hard to get into. I was honestly a little bored because of all the information being thrown at me. I feel like all of the world-building, history, and info should have been more a part of the story and less just the characters reciting off info to each other. Although one exception to that is that I did love how the flashback chapters were woven into the story.

One other random minor dislike is that Lore is written in third person. It’s fine, but third person narrations are not my favorite.

Now all that being said . . . the second half of the book was awesome! Like I said, I literally read the second half in one sitting! The first half was a slow walk, but the second half took off running!! The story picked up and did not let go! The plot was fast paced and action packed! There were some truly great twists, turns, and reveals. I was finally completely pulled into the world of Lore. I couldn’t stop reading because I had to know what happened!

I really like that Lore is a standalone. It’s nice to read standalones sometimes! The story wraps up nicely with a definite end. I do think that there is an opening for Bracken to write some companion novels perhaps featuring Miles? Or maybe the other old gods? I think it would be fascinating to find out what the other gods were up to all this time!

I feel like I may need to reread Lore to fully appreciate it. Now that I have a grasp on the world and all its complexities I think I’d enjoy the first half more. Good news is that several book sub boxes are doing Lore for their January box so I will have a physical copy!!

LORE IS SET TO BE RELEASED JANUARY 5TH, 2021 BY DISNEY-HYPERION BOOKS!